BackCovid-19 vaccination for 12-14 age group, booster dose for all above 60 from Wednesday. Key details
India began vaccinating kids in the 15-18 age group from 3 January this yearThe Covid-19 vaccine to be administered to the 12-14 years age group would be Corbevax manufactured by Biological Evans
PremiumThe central government on Monday announced that children in the 12 to 14 age group will be able to get vaccinated against Covid-19 from 16 March. In addition to this, the co-morbidity clause for administering precaution doses to citizens above the age of 60 has also been removed.
“If the children are safe, then the country is safe! I am happy to inform that the Covid vaccination of children in the age group of 12 to 13 and 13 to 14 is starting from March 16. Also, everyone aged 60 will now be able to get precaution doses," Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to say.
He also urged the families of children and people in the age group of 60 that they must get vaccinated.
Key points about the decision:
- The Covid-19 vaccine to be administered to the 12-14 years age group would be Corbevax manufactured by Biological Evans, Hyderabad.
- The DCGI had on 22 February given its approval to the vaccine for the 12-18 age group. It is the second vaccine for children after Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.
- The vaccine is India's first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) Protein sub-unit vaccine against Covid-19. It is administered through the intramuscular route with two doses scheduled 28 days apart.
- The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on 16 January last year with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from 2 February last year.
- The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from 1 March for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
- The country launched vaccination for all aged more than 45 years from 1 April last year.
- The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from 1 May.
- The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from 3 January this year for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.
- India began administering precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccine to healthcare workers, frontline workers, including personnel deployed for election duty and those aged 60 and above with co-morbidities, from 10 January.
- The DCGI has also given its nod to Serum Institute of India’s Covid-19 vaccine Covovax for restricted use in the age group of 12-17 years.
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